A & L

People are either inspired or think we’re slightly bonkers after discovering we were married within a year of meeting, with a blended family of 5 boys aged 8-13. It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind experience and we often pinch ourselves we are doing this. But we are a testimony to what God is able to do when a relationship starts with faith.

I had not been on Christian Connection for long and was ready to give up when L responded to my brief message in August 2019. I don’t think either of our circumstances matched our desired lists, but I had spoken a little about my faith and something I shared resonated with L.

We spoke most days as we got to know each other as best we could and things progressed. Neither of us were keen on a long distance relationship, and we were not sure how we would cope with a blended family of 5 boys. Where would we live? What about our work or schools? However, the most important thing for us was that we were spiritually in tune. We were honest with each other about our brokenness and vulnerabilities, myself a widower, and L a divorcee, and we kept committing each other to God.

One month after our initial contact on CC we had our first in-person meeting, under the clocktower at Waterloo. We were both extremely nervous but hit it off straight away. What began as a quick coffee culminated with spending most of the day together as we walked for miles and chatted about anything and everything.

I proposed in January 2020 and then the first Lockdown happened. We attended a marriage prep course online and enjoyed romantic candlelit meals on zoom. However, 130 miles apart and with weddings on hold, our future was unknown. We didn’t know where we would live, or what we would do. Proverbs 3:5-6 seemed an apt verse. We shared our journey with friends and got them praying for the practicalities. If God was in our relationship we knew He would work out the details and challenges.

As we continued to trust God, commit our future and our children to Him, we began to see so many answers to prayers. When restrictions were lifted we planned a wedding within a week and we were married in August 2020. It was a beautiful and intimate celebration attended by just a few family members and close friends. Within a few weeks of getting married we relocated to a new home, I began a new job and school places suddenly became available for all our boys.

Our top three tips are:
Keep praying and trusting God.
Don’t compromise in your faith, or the faith of your future partner.
Lastly, be flexible with your lists. God has provided us with so much more than we could have asked or imagined. We still have plenty of challenges but they are secure in His hands.